The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-20
RIPE FOR AN EPIDEMIC.
B1LBO CANAL AN EXCELLENT
BREEDING PLACE FOR ONE.

tants Cannot Kill the Stench-In Spite
of Its Filth 1t is Used as a Bathing
Place by the Negroes.
The Bilbo canal is a large open, sewage
canal starting at Bolton street, and run
ming thence to the river, being some two
miles long, and from fifteen to thirty feet
wide. Several complaints have been made
lately regarding the filth in the canal, and
the fearful stencil arising from the water.
Alderman Thomas was seen yesterday after
noon and he was asked if he had heard any
complaints regarding this matter.
Eyes, l have, and strong ones, too" re-
piled the Alderman. ~ at once informed
the Mayor and DR.. Duncan regarding it.
Yesterday DIR. Mcfarland came to see me
about it, and said it was nothing; but all
the same, he said some l, 800 pounds of cop
peras and a quantity of carbolic acid
would be put in the canal at once.
1t is bad place, there is no
doubt and the high water increases the
trouble. But with the disinfectants so
freely used, don't think there need be any
alarm felt. OF course those living near
there naturally feel worried and alarmed,
hut the Board of Health will see it is put
in safe condition"
A visit was then paid to Dr. Mcfarland,
Health Officer, to ascertain if possible, what
steps had been taken in the matter. The
servant who answered the ring stated that
the doctor was up stairs in bed would the
visitor write his message on the slate held
so suggestively before him. The following
message was written and sent up:
doctor, will you please inform the
MORNING NEWS regarding Bilbo canal, and
what steps, if any, have been taken in the
matter ~
In few minutes the walking telephone
returned with the following brief message;
Nothing unusual is, or has been, in the
condition of the Bilbo canal.
]. T. MCFARLAND,
Health Officern
Not being satisfied with this summary dis
posal of the case, another message of the fol-
lowing import was written and sent up.
''How about the 800 pounds of copperas
and other disinfectants useds Is it in bad
condition. Complaints have been received
regarding the filth in the canal, and the
stencil arising from the water"
In a few minutes the servant came down,
and said the doctor said it was SO dark he
could not see to write, and would the re-
porter come back some other day"
DITCH THAT NEEDS CLEANING.
The reporter thought not and started for
the scene of action, to give the premises a
personal inspection. Following ont the con
tinuation of Perry street, the outlet of the
big main sewer, running under that street,
was reached The sewer connects with the
canal by an open ditch, probably a quarter
of a mile long. The ditch is about eight
feet across at the top on an average, and
was then nearly full of water. Very little
scum or anything deleterious was observed
there, but the sfG"S2 of grass and
weeds in the waite, nearly closed the
ditch, and prevented Ne carrying off of the
sewage freely. 1t SGouid be cleaned out and
kept clear if the idea is for the sewage to
/ be thus carried 'a,S the canal and thence to
the river. As tire canal bank was APP
preached the odorifo. oc' perfume of car
bolic acid filed the air. At the bridge a
glance into the water beneath
told the need of these disin-
fectants. 1t was the beginning of the ebb
tide and the water had fallen about two
feet. On the banks, the sides exposed bore
a dirty, disagreeable look, reminding one
of an old, uncleaned soap kettle, a black
sort of scum covering and mixing with the
mud.
OFFENSIVE TO THE oLFACToRIEs.
The surface of the water was almost
entirely covered by this floating greenish-
black "frog-Scum," as the boys used
to call it, and the stencil from
it quite overpowered the stronger
odor of the carbolic acid. The water was
of a dirty, unhealthy color, and the appear
ance generally struck the observer as a first
class breeding place for an epidemic. The
same condition Of things existed almost up
to Gwinnett street, and for a quarter of
a mile on the northern side of the
bridge. The Health Department
teams were at the bridge, bestowing
liberal applications of the acid all along
the bank and water The foreman of the
catH moi nj mo Of.
peras had been thrown into the water at the
upper end of the canal. Yesterday four
barrels of carbolic acid were used, and to-
day several more will be thrown in the
canal at different places. After shifting the
fragrance from the bridge as long as posi-
bic, walk was taken along the canal bank
toward the river. All the way down. till
within few hundred yards of the lower
bridge, this same scum was observed, and
the water bore the same dirty color. At
the bridge the river water was fresher, and
little was observed there
RIPE FOR AN Epidemic.
Conversing with several who had known
of the canal and the complaints made, the
opinion seemed to be widespread that il was
death-trap, and ii an epidemic sprang up
here this place would he the cause OF it,
Now, when the river is so high, the tide does
not fall low enough TO enable the canal 10
be drained or cleaned. The water at the
bridge and above becomes stagnant and
dead, and at times, on a hot day, it is
claimed that the stencil would over
power all the odors of "Arablv
the Blest." Just above the tide
gate, they claim, too, that the bottom
shoals, and that the filth that comes in from
all the different sewers, is left in the CEN
tral and upper portion of the canal. The
residents near there all avow their fear of
the place and the owners of houses in that
section speak of the great difficulty they
meet with IN renting them
1T rs A SHAME.
Last evening another Alderman was seen
and the reporter told him of the condition
of the canal. YES; know that he ex-
claimed with emphasis, land it's shame,
too It's nothing but death trap now,
and there's no knowing how many deaths
can be laid To its door. But how TO remedy
it is a question. 1t would cost too nue. to
cover it. Ny idea is to carry the sew go
OF in some other direction. 1t seems to me.
that can be done economically aud thor
oughly. Anyway, the Board of Health
must see to it, and use plenty of disinfec-
tants."
SUFFERERS OPINION
Eyes, that's a fair sample of the city's
care for ~, wrathfully remarked an east
end resident and property holder 1--WE
have 20 pay our full share OF the taxes. but